Dairy

Think gnocchi are too time-consuming to make during the week? Think again!

Any heavy cream that's beaten long enough turns into butter, of course. But by incorporating one extra step in the process—culturing the cream with buttermilk or yogurt, essentially turning it into tangy, funky crème fraîche—this recipe reaches a whole new depth of flavor.

This impressive side plays on the classic twice-baked potato with toppings of Parmesan whipped cream, candied hazelnut-bacon bits, and chives.

Arranging the carrots in a geometric pattern transforms this savory tart into a truly show-stopping side or appetizer.

Cuban pulled pork—or lechon asado—meets traditional Cuban ham and Swiss sandwiches in these zesty, melty paninis.

This fall grain salad combines spelt with kabocha squash that's been roasted in a smoky paprika and pomegranate molasses glaze.

The gluten-free crust for these vegetarian pizzas is made from cauliflower that's been ground into fine crumbs and mixed with almond flour and Parmesan cheese.

Every October as kids, we loved to go pumpkin picking and buy fresh pumpkins. Our grandmother would take the pumpkin flesh and bake it in the oven with a little cinnamon and sugar, and then we’d stick it in the blender, puree it, and use it for baking. We’d bake pumpkin bread, pumpkin cake, and pumpkin pie, and we would also roast the pumpkin seeds in the oven. Really, she used every single part of that pumpkin! The thing we loved the most was our grandmother’s pumpkin cake. It was more of a cake-bread hybrid: very dense and savory yet sweet. It smelled amazing coming out of the oven. We would sometimes just eat it without any icing, hot from the oven. We’d burn our tongues because we wouldn’t even wait for it to cool!

Make a big pot of this classic slow-cooked sauce—it freezes beautifully.

A quick dip in a simple marinade spiked with garlic and cayenne makes for grilled skirt steak that's tender and flavorful. While the steak rests, grill cherry tomatoes and toss with blue cheese for a warm side salad.

This stick-to-your ribs vegetarian dinner is a snap to make: Just hit the prepared pasta section of the grocery store for the gnocchi, roast some eggplant (do this step ahead, if you want), add marinara (store-bought is fine), and top with mozzarella.

Want comfort food on demand? These family-friendly baked shells can be assembled ahead and refrigerated or frozen so they're ready to pop in the oven with no day-of work.

These pitas stuffed with herb-flecked turkey meatballs and dolloped with tangy tzatziki come together in about 30 minutes so they're perfect for weeknight dinners. The yogurt sauce can be made several days ahead or whipped up while the meatballs cook. The meatballs and tzatziki would also be delicious served over greens.